Jeremy is ready for anything
One hundred days ago, we launched a new company in Santa Cruz called NextSpace Coworking + Innovation, Inc. NextSpace is an entrepreneurial catalyst. Our mission is to catalyze local ideas, local talent, and local capital in Santa Cruz to create products, services, and solutions for the global marketplace. It’s a pretty bold-sounding mission. And, like most entrepreneurs, we knew that we were slightly crazy for quitting our jobs and starting something so bold. But we also knew that Santa Cruz has an abundance of those three resources: talent, ideas, and capital and that if we could form a space and a community around those resources, some great things would start to happen. It was a bit of a leap of faith, we admit. But rather than putting that faith in ourselves, we put our faith in Santa Cruz and the talented, techie, innovative, creative, ambitious people who call this place home. So we created NextSpace. And we asked some of those people to join us as members of the NextSpace community. Take a look below for some highlights from our First 100 Days. Hopefully, you’ll be amazed (we were). And if you’re as excited as we are, then please consider joining us.
First 100 Days Highlights
- NextSpace has seen businesses formed, deals done, products launched, investments made, and partnerships created. Not bad for a supposed economic downturn.
- 78 members have joined NextSpace representing green tech, social media, software design, web development, mobile broadband applications, digital media, video production, marketing and communications, and more
- UserVoice and 12Seconds launched their social media and online video companies, representing NextSpace’s first two successful start-ups
- Quiddities Strategic Web Development received a major grant from the Knight Foundation and held the first-ever Public Media Camp, a day-long discussion of the future of public radio.
- FXpansion, a London-based music software company, opened its US subsidiary, FXPansion USA, Inc. at NextSpace in November
- We convened our first NextSpace Investors Forum in November, bringing together seven new local companies (including two UCSC spin-outs) and a dozen local angel investors
- NextSpace members developed and shipped two iPhone apps in January, and our members have started a new iPhone MeetUp
- We’ve held two educational events in an effort to give our members the legal and financial tools they need to make their businesses fly
- Groups like the Santa Cruz New Tech Alliance, the Santa Cruz Geeks, the Amgen Tour of California, Shakespeare Santa Cruz, Children’s Hospice, Leadership Santa Cruz County, Santa Cruz NEXT, and First Friday Art Tour have gathered at NextSpace to plan, organize, and fundraise
- Finally, we’ve fueled our First 100 Days with untold gallons of Lulu’s coffee, acres of Woodstock pizza, and at least one six pack of beer, all consumed during our many social and networking events.
The Big Finish Here’s the bottom line: in just 100 short days, NextSpace has established itself as the epicenter of the new Santa Cruz economy. What’s more, NextSpace has become a place where the larger Santa Cruz business community gathers to meet, network, solve problems, socialize, exchange ideas, draw up plans, or just get inspired about the enormous energy, passion, and potential in Santa Cruz. This isn’t some feel-good story. This is about boldly undertaking our mission of catalyzing local ideas, local talent, and local capital in Santa Cruz to create products, services, and solutions for the global marketplace. In our First 100 Days, we’ve proven that NextSpace, our community, and our city have the tools, the vision, and the guts to accomplish that mission. We hope you’ll join us.
Cool spot Great atmosphere
What a tremendous start! We can’t wait to see everything for ourselves. See you in April.Love, Mom and Dad
Congrats on an amazing first 100 days of business…for anyone who knows you, they expect nothing less from a founder with an endless supply of energy and vision. You’ve done it! Let the energy, creativity, and laughter carry you forward.
Big hug from one of your biggest fans.
Sarah
I’m so proud of you!!!! I can’t wait to come and see the space. PS- How do I get a cool video on the homepage of my website?